This invention relates to an anti-counterfeiting system and method for authenticating manufactured articles, such as apparel and other soft goods. The invention is intended to safeguard both manufacturers and consumers against counterfeiting. The invention utilizes a conspicuous 5-hole button permanently affixed to the article and used to identify the article as genuine. While the identifier itself is relatively inexpensive, the machinery and software required to attach the buttons to a mass quantity of apparel is not.
Many successful corporations spend millions of dollars in advertising and other marketing efforts to create brand names and generate good will. In some cases, further millions are spent in developing products to be marketed under these brand names. Successful brand names represent a valuable asset of a corporation, and are often the focus of great efforts undertaken to police their proper and authorized use. Despite these efforts, successful brand names have been wrongfully exploited for years by unscrupulous manufacturers and resellers of counterfeit products. The apparel industry in particular has been and continues to be subjected to widespread counterfeiting.
The actual lost sales attributed to counterfeiting is but one aspect of this problem. An often more serious result is the damage done to the good name and reputation of the brand owner when inferior counterfeited merchandise is sold as genuine. In an effort to counteract the problem, brand name owners have been aggressively pursuing counterfeiters, and introducing programs intended to eliminate or at least reduce counterfeiting. While some programs have met rather limited short term success, the end rewards to the counterfeiters are often so large that the programs themselves have been copied.
According to one such program, brand-authenticating holographs are incorporated into either the product packaging or a swing tag, or placed on the packaging or product in the form of a self-adhesive decal. While once considered a novel and innovative approach, holograph technology is now well known, and the cost of entry into the holograph manufacturing industry is low. In today""s market, counterfeit holographs are commonplace. In another anti-counterfeiting program, a hidden authenticating device is incorporated into the product. This approach is problematic, as it is generally difficult to control and lacks standardization with regard to where to place the device. While the hidden device is detectable by field inspectors checking a reseller""s inventory, consumers are generally unaware of the device, and are likewise unaware of whether the merchandise is counterfeit or genuine. A still further approach uses moving image labels (including 3D) typically manufactured with a paper printing image including PVC reflectors. This method, however, is unsuitable as a sew-in label or tag in apparel and footwear. Furthermore, the technology is well known, thus leading to the same problems realized by holographs.
In view of these drawbacks and limitations of the prior art, what is needed in the anti-counterfeiting industry is a brand authentication system which cannot be readily copied, and which utilizes an identifier that is sufficiently conspicuous to the ordinary consumer. The technology must be difficult to duplicate with the cost of entry into the market to produce the identifier so high as to discourage the investment. The number of companies capable of duplicating the technology would be low and the chance of being caught too high.
The present invention provides a solution for reducing counterfeiting in soft goods. While the system of the invention could theoretically be copied, the cost of doing soxe2x80x94and the risk of being caughtxe2x80x94would be too high to justify the rewards. By incorporating consumer education into the system and advertising the method of detecting counterfeit products, the market for counterfeit goods sold as genuine would be greatly curtailed. It is recognized that this would not stop consumers from purchasing counterfeit merchandise, such as apparel, if the consumer""s motivation was solely to own a product brandishing the brand name.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system and method for authenticating manufactured articles.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes a specially designed 5-hole button sewn onto the top of the product, and simultaneously, a 5-hole stay button sewn to the underside of the product.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes a set of buttonsxe2x80x94a top button and a stay buttonxe2x80x94wherein the top button includes the trademark of the brand owner.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes a set of buttonsxe2x80x94a top button and a stay buttonxe2x80x94wherein the stay button is color-coded to indicate brand participation in the anti-counterfeiting system.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes a specially designed cam in a mechanical-type sewing machine for attaching the 5-hole buttons to the product.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes an electronic-type sewing machine with computer-controlled stitch patterns suitable for attaching the 5-hole buttons to the product.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system wherein both of the top and bottom buttons are supplied in sets to the brand owners, who would then control their distribution to manufacturers.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes 5-hole buttons that would be impractical to attach to the brand product manually.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which readily identifies genuine products.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which is relatively easy to police.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which is relatively difficult to replicate.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which promotes support through an advertising campaign, putting customers, vendors and manufacturers on alert against counterfeiting and the penalties that may result.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which promotes support by subjecting pirates to multiple legal causes of action.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which has a centralized control and supply of buttons.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which promotes the ability to control licensees and collect royalties.
It is another object of the invention to provide an anti-counterfeiting system which utilizes an electronic counter incorporated into the sewing machine to monitor the production of the machine.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a button adapted for use in an anti-counterfeiting system for authenticating a manufactured article. The button defines at least five holes adapted for receiving thread to attach the button to the manufactured article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the button is a top button adapted for residing on an outside surface of the manufactured article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the button is a relatively thin, circular disk having a center point and notional quadrants.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the button defines a center hole at the center point, and four quadrant holes outside of the center hole and located within respective notional quadrants.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the quadrant holes are equally spaced approximately 90 degrees apart.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the quadrant holes is equally spaced from the center hole of the button.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the center hole is greater than the diameter of the quadrant holes.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the button is a stay button adapted for residing on an inside surface of the manufactured article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the stay button defines opposing major surfaces, and includes a projecting cloverleaf configuration formed on one of the major surfaces.
In another embodiment, the invention is an anti-counterfeiting method for authenticating a manufactured article. The method includes the step of attaching a button to the manufactured article, the button defining at least five holes.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the button includes stitching a thread through each of the five holes of the button and the article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the button further includes making a first stitch through the center one of the holes of the button.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the button includes using a single-thread chainstitch button sewing machine.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the button includes stitching the button to an outside surface of the manufactured article.
In another embodiment, the invention is an anti-counterfeiting method which includes the steps of attaching a five-hole top button to an outside surface of the manufactured article and a stay button to an inside surface of the manufactured article. The stay button underlies the top button adjacent the inside surface of the manufactured article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the top button includes stitching a thread through each of the five holes of the top button, the article, and the underlying stay button.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the top button further includes making a first stitch through a center one of the five holes.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the top button and the stay button to the article includes using a single-thread chainstitch button sewing machine.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the stay button defines five holes, and the step of attaching the five-hole top button and the stay button to the article includes aligning the holes of the top button and the stay button, and stitching a single thread through each of the aligned holes and article.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of attaching the top button and the stay button to the article further includes making a first stitch through respective aligned center holes formed in the top button and stay button.